Russian Defence Minister to visit India next year

Russia and India are the largest partners in the field of military-technical cooperation – with over 70% of weapons and military equipment used by the Indian Army, Air Force, and Navy made in Russia or the former Soviet Union.

Russian Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu will pay an official visit to India in 2015, Deputy Defence Minister Anatoly Antonov announced this past Wednesday.

“The plans of the Russian Defence Minister, General Sergey Shoigu for next year – include an official visit to New Delhi,” he told Russia Today during a press briefing.

Speaking about the work already completed, Mr. Antonov said that “a mechanism was recently created for top-level Russia-India meetings, and this year, they had already carried out exercises in all three branches of the Indian Armed Forces.”

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India remains Russia’s largest partner in the military-technical cooperation sphere. “Along with the delivery of finished weapons, we continue to assist the country in the development of its own military-industrial complex,” said Mr. Antonov.

Russia and India are the largest partners in the field of military-technical cooperation (MTC) – with over 70% of weapons and military equipment used by the Indian Army, Air Force, and Navy made in Russia or the former Soviet Union.

The Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC) estimates the volume of weapons and military equipment supplied to India in 2013 at $4.78 billion.

Along with exporting military equipment, Russia also works jointly with India on the development of new weapons. The Russian-Indian joint venture BrahMos Aerospace has created the supersonic BrahMos Cruise Missile, which the Armed forces of India started buying in 2005. In addition, Russia and India have agreed to jointly develop a fifth generation fighter aircraft (a promising multifunctional jet fighter) and a military transport airplane.